Designing Your Ceremony

Endless Possibilities

We invite you to explore the many unique ways to celebrate and honor a life.

The professionals at March Funeral Homes are experienced in leading families through the design process. First, we ask you to consider how you wish to honor and celebrate the life of your loved one. When those important decisions are made, we turn to the issue of how you wish to care for their physical remains. Both facets of the process are equally important.

Discover Life Exploration.

Comfort in Tradition.

We’ll help you design a service with classic rites and rituals that will feel like timeless tributes.

Patriotic Honor.

Show the deepest respect to a veteran with a flag presentation and 21-rifle salute.

Together Is Better.

For burials and cremations, create a unifying service with readings, memories and spirituality.

Savor Memories.

Gather loved ones with a delicious feast in a relaxed gathering.

Ride Strong.

Bring a prized vehicle into the service, from a fire truck they served on to a restored hot rod.

No Place Like Home.

Bring family and friends together in a home or private garden, around familiar belongings.

How Would You Like To Be Honored?

Funerals unite people when they need each other most. These services can be opportunities to celebrate everything amazing about the life that was lived. And also to give guests a meaningful, healing experience. Explore a range of ideas and find what speaks to you.

A Sporting Celebration.

For fans, you can show the passion of the game through memorabilia, tailgating and more.

Keepsakes and Heirlooms.

Bring a set of objects that shares a treasured hobby, and guests can even leave with an item.

The Game Goes On.

For card sharks, Scrabble pros or billiard players, the game can be incorporated as a tribute.

Take The Stage.

For thespians and opera lovers, a theatrical event can be the perfect end to a brilliant life.

Into The Deep.

For a loved one who feels home at sea, cremated remains can be scattered over an expanse of ocean.

Reach for the Stars.

“Fly me to the moon; let me sing among those stars.” Many of us long to be able to travel among the planets of our solar system and out among the stars. Becoming part of the cosmos may be the perfect ‘send off’ for someone special.

Designing your Funeral

There are two facets of the design process. First, we ask you to consider how you wish to honor and celebrate the life. When those important decisions are made, we’ll turn to the issue of how you wish to care for the physical remains.

It begins with the Intention to Honor

And that involves bringing those you love together. So you can celebrate a life well-lived, honor their achievements and share the memories you hold so dear. The intention is expressed differently for every family we serve, because every family is different.

But let us say this: many families are surprised to learn that you can have their service anywhere, and any way, they want. Just a few of the choices available to you include:

The place of celebration

The day of the week

The time of day

The musical selection

The prayers and words of comfort to be spoken

The songs you’d like played or sun

You can decide to have doves or butterflies – or even beautifully-colored balloons – released at the close of the service. You can give your guests gifts of wildflower seeds, tree seedlings, family photographs or treasured items from the collection of the deceased. We’re here to help you create the most memorable and meaningful service to honor your loved one, and can offer you the wisdom of years of experience to guide you in your decisions.

Coming together to honor a loved one is a natural thing to do. Through centuries of living together, such gatherings have become a socially-expected practice. But there’s more to it than "social expectations." A funeral or memorial service, whether traditional, or contemporary, is the first step in healing.

It’s About Peace-of-Mind

The decisions you make today will affect you for years to come. We’ve seen it time and again: people neglect to realize the impact their decisions will have on them, and other family members – a year from now, five years, even decades later.

"If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world." ~ Mercedes Lackey

We’ve heard it all before, and that’s why the professionals at March Funeral Homes feel so strongly about helping you come to the decisions that will meet your needs now, and in the future. Our desire is that you have no regret about the decisions you’ve made on behalf of your loved one.

Why does it matter so much? Because doing the right thing for your loved one now will make all the difference in your peace-of-mind through the coming years. Contact us today to discuss your intentions.

Burial or Cremation?

Once your ceremonial decisions are made, the next facet of the design process focuses on choosing between burial and cremation.

Honestly, most people are confident in their decision. Maybe their loved one told you, or someone else, exactly how they wish to be cared for.

But it can be a very difficult decision for some families, especially when the wishes of the deceased were never clearly stated, or if there’s conflict within the family about their choice. If that’s the case, please know we’re able to help you come to the perfect decision for your loved one, and for you.

Once you decide, the finer details come into focus. When burial is the choice, you’ll need to selection the casket, vault, and cemetery plot for interment. In some communities, there’s the option for a ’green burial.’ If that’s what your loved one would prefer, we’ll help you select an environmentally-friendly choice.

If you’ve chosen cremation, you’ll need to consider what you’ll do with the cremated remains, commonly called "ashes." Should they be placed in a mausoleum niche, or buried on the cemetery grounds?

Naturally, we’re here to help you.

What's the Next Step?

We’ve just given you the basics –there’s a lot more that we could share in a face-to-face conversation. But, until that happens, you’ve got enough information to consider this question: "What is appropriate for me and my family?"

We suggest that, if it’s possible, gather everyone together to speak of their feelings and desires.

If you’re still in need of inspiration –or have questions left unanswered, we ask that you contact us. Speaking with one of our professional funeral planners will help to clarify your thinking.

We’re here to help you create the most suitable and memorable service to honor your loved one; connect with family and friends, and share memories. And we’d be honored to do so. Contact us today.

Create Your Perfect Ceremony

Once you've explored the world of possibilities, map out the personalized services that speak to you. There's no option that's too grand or too unique. We want to make your wishes a reality.